VitalityHouse Health Articles

Passenger in Car Accident Receives a $3.5 Million Settlement for Injuries

On January 22, 2007 I represented a resident of Trenton, New Jersey who was a passenger in a car which was hit head on by a dump truck while traveling on State Highway 68. The dump truck that hit her was unable to stop and attempted to avoid colliding with another vehicle by entering the northbound lane. While the driver was able to avoid one accident, he was unable to avoid striking the vehicle our plaintiff was in.

As a result of the accident she sustained a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures of her left shoulder and arm, and fractures to her right leg. My client also suffered numerous process fractures of the lumbar spine and multiple rib fractures. The case went to mediation and settled for $3.5 million. 
 

How to Combat the Worst Diet Wrecker

There are quite a few diet wreckers around but I  think the very worst is found in every kitchen, cafe and food store and it's hidden in most manufactured food products. 

The worst diet wrecker of all time?

It  has to be sugar - pure, white and deadly.

Why is sugar such a demon?

• Sugar is calorie dense and without eating very much in quantity you will quickly consume a whole load of calories.
• Not only that but it's very natural to love sweet foods - so you want to eat more and more of it
• Sugar is often combined with high fat foods - just think about cakes, cookies, ice cream and chocolate so you get extra calories along with your sugar
• And because sugar has very little nutritional value or bulk it does not help to satisfy your appetite
• Last but not least, eating sugar rapidly raises blood sugar and insulin levels which increase your tendency to store excess energy as fat

The innocent looking white stuff has a lot to answer for but it's easy enough to avoid if you can see it.

The real problem is that we all eat a whole load of  sugar when we don't even know it's there.

• It's often consumed in beverages
• It's hidden in almost every manufactured food product.
• Not all of the products which contain sugar mention sugar in the list of ingredients on the packaging - sugar comes in all different variants so it's important to understand that fructose including high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, lactose, molasses, sucrose, dextrose, galactose and honey are all forms of sugar too and many products will have several of these included in the ingredients making up a huge proportion of the total.

To avoid eating too much sugar

• look out for those hidden ingredients and avoid buying products which load up their foods with empty calories
• eat (rather than drink) your calories - drink plain or sparkling water, herbal tea or black coffee
• eat slow-release whole grain carbohydrates which don't cause insulin levels to spike in place of sugar

 Of course I'm not saying ban sugar altogether (unless it's a real addiction and once you start you just can't stop). Just keep your sugar eating in moderation (maybe a square of chocolate after dinner) rather than filling yourself with empty calories and piling on the pounds.

Lose Weight : Teach Others To Respect You

Do your friends and family sabotage every diet you go on by offering you food you can't resist?

You know how it is.

It just takes a declaration that you need to lose 10lbs to fit into your party dress, for someone in your office to treat everyone to cakes or chocolates. Or for your partner to say, "Let's eat out tonight. How about trying that new "all-you-can-eat" place?"

Why do they do that?

It's probably just coincidence - because food and offers of food are all around us. Eating is a social activity after all and so you will often be invited to eat.

But if you want to reduce those offers and temptations you have to show your friends and family you mean business.

You do that by saying "No!"  without worrying about what they think of you.

Say "No I'd rather not because I am cutting back on food until I lose 10lbs" or whatever.

And the more you keep saying "no" the more respect you will earn and your friends will see that this time you really do mean it.

You can't really blame them for ignoring your half-hearted attempts to lose weight before can you?

How many times have you said to friends "I really shouldn't eat that" and then instantly followed it with "But go on then, just a small piece/just one"? It's no wonder that they don't believe you when you say you're on a diet.

Approach saying "No" like a sport that you are out to master. Try, try and try again until it comes naturally and your friends start to respect your efforts and stop pushing food on you.

Is Your Job Making you Fat?

When I worked in an office and did a lot of client entertaining and business travel, it would have been very easy to gain a lot of weight - I didn't - but that was only because it was counter-balanced with long hours of stress with no time to eat :)

But I do believe there are plenty of work situations which may lead you to overeating - some of them social (birthday cakes, lunch with the girls, drinks after work etc) and some of them in the line of duty (travel, entertaining etc)

If you're trying to lose weight, don't blame your job for getting in the way - work out some strategies to cope with the situations you find yourself in instead. You will know what these situations are likely to be more than anyone.

Maybe you receive presents of chocolates if you're a nurse or a teacher. You know they will come. What will you do with them? Think about it before they arrive!

If you entertain clients, work out your strategy for that too. If possible choose the restaurant were you know they have a good selection of healthy dishes you like. In any case, you are always in control of what you order and what you eat or drink from what actually arrives in front of you.

If you travel, you will have a good idea of what you can eat from the usual airport, plane or roadside cafe. If all else fails take your own. Don't use travel as an excuse to eat too much.

And as for the birthday cakes and lunches - join in if you like but go easy on the portions...

It easy to find things in your life to blame for being overweight, but that doesn't get you any nearer the size you want to be.

Remember whatever situation you find yourself in at home, at work or at play, you are always in control of what you put in your mouth. Make sure that you exercise that control!

Weight Loss Diet: 10 Ways the Credit Crunch can Help

Of all the bad things about the credit crunch, there has to be some good - and one of them is that it can help you lose weight.

How so?

Well, if you need to reduce your spending you can do so in all the following ways and help yourself drop some pounds too

1. Stop buying junk food - you don't need any of that stuff and what you don't buy you can't eat
2. Stop buying soft drinks and drink more water
3. Reduce your alcohol intake
4. Eat less meat and bulk out your meals with veggies 
5. Eat smaller portions all round
6. Stop over-buying food (and throwing it away at the end of the week). Plan healthy meals and snacks and only buy what is on your list.
7. Stop over-cooking food or cook double and make sure that half the food is put away before you serve the meal so that you can't be tempted to overeat on the first night.
8. Eat healthy home-cooked meals instead of eating out. Give up fast food and take-aways
9. Meet friends for a walk, a swim or a game of tennis etc instead of for a meal (or just go out for coffee)
10. Walk all short journeys instead of taking your car

If you have more tips to add, please leave a comment